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New England Patriots
NFL |conference = AFC |division = AFC East |founded = 1960 |stadium = Gillette Stadium |city = Foxborough, Massachusetts |image_color_uniform = |image_white_uniform = |image_alt_uniform = |field = |championships = 6 |championships_years = 2001 • 2003 2004 • 2014 • 2016 2018 |super_bowls = 6 |super_bowls_years = XXXVI • XXXVIII XXXIX • XLIX • LI LIII |conf_champs = 11 |conf_champs_years = 1985 • 1996 • 2001 2003 • 2004 • 2007 2011 • 2014 • 2016 2017 • 2018 |div_champs = 22 |div_champs_years = 1963 • 1978 • 1986 1996 • 1997 • 2001 2003 • 2004 • 2005 2006 • 2007 • 2009 2010 • 2011 • 2012 2013 • 2014 • 2015 2016 • 2017 • 2018 2019 |typen = 2 |type1 = Patriots |type2 = Silver }} The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium since 2002. They are members of the National Football League (NFL) as part of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the AFC East division. An original member of the American Football League (AFL) established in 1960, the Patriots joined the NFL in the 1970 merger of both leagues. Between 2001 and 2005, the Patriots became the second team in NFL history (after the Dallas Cowboys) to win three Super Bowls in four years (Super Bowl XXXVI, XXXVIII, and XXXIX), and the eighth to win consecutive Super Bowls. Under quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick, the Patriots have also compiled the longest winning streak consisting of regular season and playoff games in NFL history, a 21-game streak from October 2003–October 2004. During the 1996 season, the Patriots appeared at Super Bowl XXXI against the Green Bay Packers, losing 35-21. Among regular season head-to-head contests against Green Bay, the series is tied, 5-5, however the overall series is in favor of Green Bay 6-5 when counting Green Bay's Super Bowl XXXI victory. Team history Founding On November 16, 1959, Boston business executive Billy Sullivan was awarded the eighth and final franchise of the developing American Football League (AFL). The following winter, locals were allowed to submit ideas for the Boston football team's official name. The most popular choice (and the one that Sullivan selected) was "Boston Patriots". When the NFL and AFL merged in 1970, the Patriots were placed in the AFC East division, where they still play today. The following year, the Patriots moved to a new stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, which would serve as their home for 30 years. As a result of the move, they announced they would change their name from the Boston Patriots to the Bay State Patriots. The name was rejected by the NFL and on March 23, 1971, the team officially announced they would instead become the New England Patriots. Membership |} 'Championships' Super Bowl XXXVI St. Louis Rams |away_team_score = 17 |home_team = New England Patriots |home_team_score = 20 |mvp = Tom Brady (QB) |typen = 2 |type1 = Patriots |type2 = Silver }} Despite starting 0-2 and losing Drew Bledsoe (who was the quarterback for the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI) to injury, the Patriots rebounded behind their defense, new quarterback Tom Brady, and head coach Bill Belichick to win the AFC East title with an 11-5 record. They then defeated the Oakland Raiders 16-13 in overtime in the divisional round in the controversial "Tuck Rule" game (the final game at Foxboro Stadium), then upset the Pittsburgh Steelers 21-17 in the AFC title game behind Bledsoe, who had entered the game after Brady had sprained his ankle. In the wake of the terrorist attacks in New York on 9/11, the NFL moved the Super Bowl to February after postponing Week 2, making this the first Super Bowl played in February. The Patriots also chose to be introduced as a team to show unity, starting a tradition that continues today. The Rams lead 3-0 after the first quarter. However, the Patriots scored 17 unanswered points to take a 17-3 lead entering the fourth quarter. Tebucky Jones returned a Kurt Warner fumble 97 yards for a touchdown, but the play was called back on a holding penalty by Willie McGinest. Warner scored two plays later and tied the game two drives later with a touchdown pass to Ricky Proehl. With 1:30 left and no timeouts, John Madden suggested that the Patriots should let the clock run out and take their chances in overtime. Brady responded by driving the Patriots to the Rams 30-yard line. With only seven seconds left, Adam Vinatieri kicked a 48 yard field goal to give the Patriots the win, marking the first time a Super Bowl was won on the final play. This was also the last Super Bowl played on AstroTurf and the last one called by John Madden and Pat Summerall. Brady was named Super Bowl MVP after completing 16 of 27 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown while rushing for three yards. Super Bowl XXXVIII Carolina Panthers |away_team_score = 29 |home_team = New England Patriots |home_team_score = 32 |mvp = Tom Brady (QB) |typen = 2 |type1 = Patriots |type2 = Silver }} Despite losing Lawyer Milloy to trade and starting 2-2, the Patriots rebounded behind Brady and their defense to finish a league best 14-2. They then defeated the Tennessee Titans 17-14 in the divisional round and then defeated the Indianapolis Colts 24-14 in the AFC title game to reach the Super Bowl. From this game on, the Super Bowl has been played on the first Sunday in February. Despite the final score, the game was scoreless until 4 minutes left in the second quarter when both teams combined for 24 points that ended with the Patriots leading 14-10 at halftime. Both teams went scoreless from there until the start of the fourth quarter when Antowain Smith scored on a 2 yard run, starting a sequence where both teams would combine for 37 points scored, the most ever in one quarter of a Super Bowl. The Panthers Deshaun Foster scored on a 33-yard run but the Panthers failed on a two-point conversion. Following an end zone interception on the Patriots next possession, Jake Delhomme threw an 85 yard touchdown to Muhsin Muhammad (breaking Antonio Freeman's record). The Panthers went for two and missed again but were up 22-21. Brady responded by throwing a 1 yard touchdown pass to linebacker Mike Vrabel (who lined up at tight end) and Kevin Faulk's two point conversion put the Patriots up 29-22 with 2:51 to go. However, in a repeat of Super Bowl XXXVI, Ricky Proehl caught a 12 yard touchdown pass to tie the game with 1:08 to go. It looked like the game would go into overtime. But on the ensuing kickoff, John Kasay kicked the ball out of bounds, giving the Patriots the ball on their own 40 yard line. Brady drove the Patriots to the Carolina 23 yard line. In a repeat performance, Adam Vinatieri (who had missed two prior kicks in the game) kicked a 41-yard field goal with four seconds left. The Patriots then made the tackle on the ensuing kickoff to seal the win. Brady won his second Super Bowl MVP after completing 32 (a record) of 48 passes for 354 yards and 3 touchdowns with 1 interception and rushing twice for 12 yards. This Super Bowl was also noted for controversy during the halftime show, when Justin Timberlake ripped off Janet Jackson's top at the end of their performance, exposing Jackson's left breast. Super Bowl XXXIX New England Patriots |away_team_score = 24 |home_team = Philadelphia Eagles |home_team_score = 21 |mvp = Deion Branch (WR) |typen = 2 |type1 = Patriots |type2 = Silver }} Behind Brady, Corey Dillon, and their defense, the Patriots went 14-2 clinching the AFC East title. They then defeated the Indianapolis Colts 27-3 in the divisional round, then beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 41-27 in the AFC title game to reach Super Bowl XXXIX. The game was tied 7-7 at halftime. The Patriots took the lead on Brady's 2 yard touchdown pass to Vrabel (who duplicated his feat from the previous Super Bowl). The Eagles tied the game with a Donavan McNabb touchdown pass making the score 14-14 going into the fourth quarter. The Patriots scored ten consecutive points to take a ten point lead, then withstood the Eagles comeback efforts, sealing the win when Rodney Harrison intercepted McNabb with 9 seconds left. Deion Branch was named Super Bowl MVP after catching a then record 11 passes for 133 yards. Brady completed 23 of 33 passes for 236 yards and 2 touchdowns. With the win, the Patriots not only repeated as champions (the last repeat champion to date) they joined the Dallas Cowboys from 1992-1995 as the only teams to win the Super Bowl in 3 out of 4 years. Super Bowl XLIX New England Patriots |away_team_score = 28 |home_team = Seattle Seahawks |home_team_score = 24 |mvp = Tom Brady (QB) |typen = 2 |type1 = Patriots |type2 = Silver }} Despite starting 2-2, the Patriots rallied behind Brady, Rob Gronkowski, and their defense, going 12-4 and clinching the AFC East title. They then defeated the Baltimore Ravens 35-31 in the divisional round (overcoming 14 point deficits twice) then blew out the Indianapolis Colts 45-7 in the AFC title game to reach Super Bowl XLIX. However, their performance against the Colts was marred in controversy when it was alleged that the Patriots used underinflated footballs, an incident that became known as "Deflategate". This was the first Super Bowl played with a retractable roof. The game was tied 14-14 at halftime. The defending champion Seahawks scored 10 points in the third quarter to take a 24-14 lead entering the fourth quarter. Brady responded with touchdown passes to Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman on consecutive possessions, the later putting the Patriots up 28-24 with 2:02 to go. However, Seattle still had an opportunity to win. On first down from the Patriots 38 yard line, Russell Wilson threw a deep pass down the right sideline to Jermaine Kearse, who was covered by reserve rookie cornerback Malcolm Butler. Both players dove through the air for the ball, and Butler managed to deflect it with one hand, but the pass fell right into the hands of Kearse, who tipped it to himself and caught the ball while he was lying on his back. Butler managed to recognize the catch and recover in time to shove Kearse out of bounds as he got up, preventing a Seattle touchdown, but the play netted 33 yards and gave the Seahawks a first down at the Patriots five-yard line with 1:05 left in regulation. The play drew comparisons to two catches that the New York Giants had made in the Patriots previous two Super Bowl appearances (David Tyree's Helmet Catch in Super Bowl XLII (which had occurred in the same stadium, ruining the Patriots chance at an undefeated season) and Mario Manningham's sideline catch in Super Bowl XLVI). Al Michaels compared it to Antonio Freeman's Monday Night Miracle. Marshawn Lynch ran to the one yard line on the following play. Since the Patriots did not use any timeouts, the Seahawks ran the clock down to 26 seconds before running a pick route on second down. However, Butler recognized the play from the formation, having been beaten on the same play in practice. Former Seahawk Brandon Browner jammed Kearse at the line giving Butler a clear run. Bulter intercepted the pass intended for Ricardo Lockette at the one yard line with 20 seconds left. After getting an encroachment penalty from the Seahawks, the Patriots knelt down to seal the win. Brady won his record tying fourth Super Bowl and third Super Bowl MVP after completing 37 (a record) of 50 passes for 328 yards and 4 touchdowns with 2 interceptions. Chevrolet gave the MVP car to Butler at Brady's request. Seattle's decision to pass the ball on the one yard line instead of running it with Lynch was heavily scrutinized. Super Bowl LI New England Patriots |away_team_score = 34 (OT) |home_team = Atlanta Falcons |home_team_score = 28 |mvp = Tom Brady (QB) |typen = 2 |type1 = Patriots |type2 = Silver }} Despite Brady being suspended for the first four games due to the "Deflategate" incident (which he had repealed the prior year) and losing Rob Gronkowski to injury, the Patriots went a league best 14-2. They then defeated the Houston Texans 34-16 in the divisional round and beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 36-17 in the AFC championship game to reach their record ninth Super Bowl. The Patriots fell behind 21-3 at halftime. Before then, no team had ever comeback from more than 10 points down to win the Super Bowl. After the Falcons scored on their first drive of the third quarter, the Patriots fought back thanks to two Brady touchdown passes, (one of which was set up by a strip sack) a field goal, and a two point conversion to pull within 8 points. After overcoming a leaping catch by Julio Jones thanks to some Falcons mistakes, the Patriots drove 91 yards for the tying touchdown highlighted by a tremendous catch by Julian Edelman when Robert Alford (who had a pick six) deflected a pass that Edelman dove for and just barely managed to get his hands under the ball before it hit the ground. James White scored on a run and Brady completed a 2-point conversion pass to Danny Amendola. The game went into overtime (a Super Bowl first). New England won the coin toss and drove 75 yards for the winning touchdown (per the overtime rules) when White ran in from two yards out. Brady won his record breaking fifth Super Bowl and fourth Super Bowl MVP after completing 43 of 62 passes for 466 yards (all records) and 2 touchdowns with 1 interception while rushing for 15 yards. Running back James White had 6 carries for 29 yards and 2 touchdowns and caught 14 passes (a Super Bowl Record) for 110 yards and a touchdown while also running for a two point conversion, breaking the record for most points scored by one player in a Super Bowl. Chevrolet gave the MVP car to White at Brady's request. The Patriots became the fourth franchise to win 5 Super Bowls after the San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, and Pittsburgh Steelers. Achievements |} Rivalry |- | align="center" | |} :Note*: Foxboro Stadium (1971–2001) was also known as Schaefer Stadium (1971–82) and Sullivan Stadium (1983–89). External links References * Pro Football Reference.com - New England Patriots franchise encyclopedia * Wikipedia - New England Patriots page * Chris Creamer's Sportslogos.net - New England Patriots logos *http://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/GUD/controller/controller.php?action=main Category:National Football League teams Category:AFL Eastern Division Teams Category:AFC East Division Teams Category:AFL Eastern Category:AFC East